Airborne Patch

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,my collection of patch Airborne,your opinion and welcome,thank you.

Serge

 

13th Airborne.

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,my collection of patch Airborne,your opinion and welcome,thank you.

Serge

 

13th Airborne.

 

17th Airborne

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

17th Airborne

 

 

82nd Airborne

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

82nd Airborne

 

 

82nd Airborne

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

82nd Airborne

 

 

101st Airborne

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

101st Airborne

 

 

101st Airborne

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

101st Airborne

 

 

101st Airborne

 

[Bill Scott]

They all look real from the scans.Scotty

[lovmilinsig]

Look real to me , too . Bet they look nice in your collection .

 

Ed

[Jumpin Jack]

Very nice collection of green backs! I especially like the 17th and the 101st white tongue. You've done very well. Jack

[warcollect1942]

Great collection of greenbacks. Nice work Serge.

[jw1969]

Very nice collection of WW2 OD backs... Congrats

 

H.

[Tonomachi]

Nice collection of greenbacks. Since we are on the subject of greenbacks I have a question. It is my understanding that they are more sought after by collectors that want to have variations of the same insignia in their collection. However the only real difference being the color of the rear catch threads utilized for a particular batch of patches being manufactured. They are harder to come across than the batches made using white thread so I'm assuming less were made utilizing colors other than white. So this increases their value since less are out their to collect. Other color threads like purple and black were also substituted. So the question I have is why the use of different color threads? Was their a shortage of white thread or did the manufacture get a good deal on a particular batch of color thread and since it did not change the front of the patch it was economically sound to use during war time shortages. My other question has to do with what other collectors have said regarding colored rear catch threads being an indication that the patch was made during WW2 and not post war. So the way to guarantee that you are purchasing a WW2 shoulder sleeve insignia is to look for colored rear catch threads. Is this true?

[Patchcollector]

Great examples.Thanks for showing them.My fave is that 17th opposed talon,nice!I also like that 82nd with the greenback tab.

[mortaydc60]

Just my opinion,but to me the color means little or nothing. The first 50 years I collected nobody cared! Only in the last ten years has it become an item. My guess is that as the cost of the more expensive or rarer patches increased in price collectors had to find something else or variation to collect that were affordable. My biasis is to collect different units and not be focused on the color of the thread used to manufacture. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with looking for these variations but I feel their money in the long run is better spent looking somewhere else.

[firefighter]

Awesome Airborne collection. The 101st white tongue is a tough one and expensive, $200+. The opposing claws is another nice 17th A/B variation. Mortay I agree with one cares about the color. But I think people like them because it kind of guarantees WW2 vintage, but even the repro artists are faking the green backs.

[mortaydc60]

My main point is that I would not go out of my way to look for a greenback especially as you point out they are faking the green so as to make it uncertain if you have a WW2 patch unless you know more;suggest Seans article in the latest Trading Post on blacklight and burn test.

 

Mort

[Bill Scott]

As a dealer I love greenbacks, as a former collector the color means nothing as Mort and FF said.Its just a color used on the pick up thread spool.They still are very sought after so I and other dealers will supply as many as we can get or hot little hands on.Scotty

[warcollect1942]

The greenbacks were made early to mid war. The patch manufactures soon learned they would run out of the

the O D or greenback colors. I see no evidence of a directive to change to white bobbin thread. The manufactures

could use what color ever thread they had in stock.

I collect infantry divisions variations. I have over two hundred greenback infantry variations. They can be expensive.

There are still patches for the beginner to collect.

I am not buying patches as a long range investment. I just enjoy collecting what ever interest me.

[Sergesquadron]

Hello to you all,

Thank you sirs for all your answers,and your compliments.

I collect patches for 50 years,I have white backs also but I prefer the green backs.

Serge

[jw1969]

Nice collection of greenbacks. Since we are on the subject of greenbacks I have a question. It is my understanding that they are more sought after by collectors that want to have variations of the same insignia in their collection. However the only real difference being the color of the rear catch threads utilized for a particular batch of patches being manufactured. They are harder to come across than the batches made using white thread so I'm assuming less were made utilizing colors other than white. So this increases their value since less are out their to collect. Other color threads like purple and black were also substituted. So the question I have is why the use of different color threads? Was their a shortage of white thread or did the manufacture get a good deal on a particular batch of color thread and since it did not change the front of the patch it was economically sound to use during war time shortages. My other question has to do with what other collectors have said regarding colored rear catch threads being an indication that the patch was made during WW2 and not post war. So the way to guarantee that you are purchasing a WW2 shoulder sleeve insignia is to look for colored rear catch threads. Is this true?

 

As Dennis stated, the OD back thread was utilized during wartime till the "industrial" priority of more other OD-colored applications came up. However saying that white back thread wasn't used in early-WW2, isn't correct. Look at the early-war OD wool Armored triangles and many other early embroidery patterns (already applied in the 1930s), and you'll know what I mean.

 

What I saw in my research, is the fact that WW2 "white" back thread is a kind of "uncolored" thread. You can see this for yourself when you'd take a very close look at the back of a patch with a white embroidered detail. The white main thread of the detail, when appearing at the back, has a more whiter appearance than the "white" catch thread. When both threads are next to each other, this feature is easy to see.

It appears to be that this catch thread was produced without being colored, if you like...

 

In later wartime, the mass production of patches increased and more back thread was needed. We can assume that there also was a variety of other colored threads too. We can see that these other colors were less needed as a main thread for background and details of the patch (pink, purple, dark blue, black...). Why not assume these colors were in stock or bought by the manufacturer, as a replacement for the usual "white" back thread, and applied as back thread. I can't look back in time but there could be a shortage of "white" catch thread for a while too. The manufacturer could have had a good deal on these other-colored threads, when awaiting for the "white" one. The manufacture of patches continued anyway.

 

The process also continued after war. So saying other-colored back thread is only WW2, isn't true either.

 

Short: just like Scotty, I love having an OD back in the collection, but this means nothing. It's only a colored thread utilized to catch a main thread and to keep the embroidery on the cotton base material, just like the "white" back thread does. However, some of them could be rare, which indeed will increase its value (this could be the same with an OD bordered patch, if you like).

After WW2, OD back thread was utilized too... there are enough examples of that. To have a WW2 patch, you have to look at the whole picture and more features than the back thread alone, just as with "white" or other-colored back thread.

 

Just my opnion...

H.

[Insigina Hunter]

First of all BEAUTIFUL patches. I'm still looking for a greenback 17th myself.

 

I am a variation collector. I go after OD border, non od border, white and greenbacks. I wouldn't go as far as saying that a greenback means 100% without a doubt it's a WW2 patch (as others have stated there are some fake greenies out there) but I feel alot more confident when I see a greenback over a white back of it being a period Original patch.

[firefighter]

 

As Dennis stated, the OD back thread was utilized during wartime till the "industrial" priority of more other OD-colored applications came up. However saying that white back thread wasn't used in early-WW2, isn't correct. Look at the early-war OD wool Armored triangles and many other early embroidery patterns (already applied in the 1930s), and you'll know what I mean.

 

What I saw in my research, is the fact that WW2 "white" back thread is a kind of "uncolored" thread. You can see this for yourself when you'd take a very close look at the back of a patch with a white embroidered detail. The white main thread of the detail, when appearing at the back, has a more whiter appearance than the "white" catch thread. When both threads are next to each other, this feature is easy to see.

It appears to be that this catch thread was produced without being colored, if you like...

 

In later wartime, the mass production of patches increased and more back thread was needed. We can assume that there also was a variety of other colored threads too. We can see that these other colors were less needed as a main thread for background and details of the patch (pink, purple, dark blue, black...). Why not assume these colors were in stock or bought by the manufacturer, as a replacement for the usual "white" back thread, and applied as back thread. I can't look back in time but there could be a shortage of "white" catch thread for a while too. The manufacturer could have had a good deal on these other-colored threads, when awaiting for the "white" one. The manufacture of patches continued anyway.

 

The process also continued after war. So saying other-colored back thread is only WW2, isn't true either.

 

Short: just like Scotty, I love having an OD back in the collection, but this means nothing. It's only a colored thread utilized to catch a main thread and to keep the embroidery on the cotton base material, just like the "white" back thread does. However, some of them could be rare, which indeed will increase its value (this could be the same with an OD bordered patch, if you like).

After WW2, OD back thread was utilized too... there are enough examples of that. To have a WW2 patch, you have to look at the whole picture and more features than the back thread alone, just as with "white" or other-colored back thread.

 

Just my opnion...

H.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong. But I don't think anyone said white back or other colored backed patches didn't exist or are not real WW2 era. I only mentioned that certain collectors like the green back because that was mainly WW2-era. But like you and others have said, and I forgot to mention, you have to look at the whole patch. Just because the back is green, white, or whatever or is OD border does NOT guarantee it is a period patch.Even experienced collectors have been fooled.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

They are excellant WWII-era examples! Very nice!

[Sergesquadron]

Hello sirs,

I see that the notices are shared,for or against greenbacks,for my part I am more for patches greenbacks it is really for me another way of seeing things the collection, always the challenge to find the rare patch there greenback that we fid more easily there white back,it is just my opinion.

(Sorry for my English)

Serge